Bass-key action for accordions



Dec. 9,1930. M. SOPRANI BASS KEY ACTION FOR ACCORDIONS Filed Feb. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 7 j J, 4 a a w J L 1 fl a a g 5| [ZTYEFY/LIF Patented Dec. 9, 1930 PATENT OFFICE MARIO SOPRAIN'I, F GASTELFIDALRDO, ITALY BASS-KEY ACTION FOR A CCORDIONS Application. filed February 3, 1930. Serial No. 425,477.

M invention relates to accordions or like 'musical instruments and in general the object is to provide improved, simplified, and more practical and efficient construction and arrangement for the bass key action.

A common arran ement in the bass controlling section of mstruments such as accordions, is to have the reed operation controlling valves operated from rods which 1c are arranged in a row sideby side and individually rotatable, with an arm extending from each shaft for operation through a suitable train to open the corresponding valve when a shaft is rotated. In such prior 1 arrangement, a plurality of lever pins project upwardly for cooperation with abutments on the key bars of the bass key board. In such prior arrangement the lever pins of the dilferent rods are in difierent planes so that the arrangement of abutments on one key rod is difierent from the arrangement on the other rods. In other words, each key bar required especial abutment arrangement dependin upon the particular valve to be controlle by the operation of the key. Such arrangement, of course, is complicated and expensive, and the assembly of the keys in the instrument is a delicate and laborious operation.

An important object of my invention is to have a uniform abutment arrangement for the keys so that they are practically all alike, and. I dothis by arranging the lever pins of a set of rods in a common plane at their ends where they are to be engaged by the key abutments, so that with one abutmenton each key a number of lever pins will be actuated to cause rotation of the corresponding rod and operation of the respective valves to formulate the. various cords.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an accordion to which my invention is applied;

a Figure 2 is 'an elevation of the bass end with the cover removed;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on plane III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4: is a similar section showing a single key and a group of lever pins engaged the bass section 1 controlled from a keyboard port the key bar guide plates 19'and 20, the

thereby for formulating the cord to be played; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a section of a key bar guide plate;

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan elevation of a key bar; 'and Figure 7 is a side elevation of such bar.

The instrument shown on Figure 1 is a well known type of accordion comprising 2, and a treble section 3 controlled by a piano keyboard 4:, a bellows 5 connecting between the. sections. 4

My present invention concerns particularly the arrangement within the bass section. This section comprises a rectangular frame having the end walls 6 and 7, a rear wall 8, a bottom wall 9, and a front wall or panel lO'through which panel extend the operating buttons 11 at the outer ends of the various key bars. v

The bottom 9 is set inwardly a distance from the ends of the surrounding Walls and has two parallel longitudinal rows of ports 12 and 13 controlled respectively by valves 14 and 15 which seat against the outer face of the bottom. Against the inner face of the bottom 9 of the various reed units (not shown) are secured in connection with the respective ports, in a manner well known in the art.

Within the end walls 6 and 7 supporting intermediate Walls 16 and 17 extend perpendicularly from the bottom wall 9 and supplate 20 being lower down than the plate 19. The plate 19 has a number of longitudinal rows of slots 21 therethrough, four such rows being shown, While the plate 20 has two rows of slots 22.

Referring particularly to Figures 6 and 7, the key bars 23 may be in the form of wire with their ends 24 flattened to rectangular cross section for fitting in the guide slots of the guide plates. The outer ends 25 of the fiat sections 24: are deflected as shown to form abutments for holding the key rod against outward movement so that the finger buttons 11 will project the proper distances above the key panel 10 when the key bars are in their normal positions.

In the arrangement shown the four inner rows of buttons are on the four upper rows of key bars whose fiat ends 24 are guided in the slots of the guide plate 19, while the buttons of the two outer rows connect with the two rows of bars which are guided in the slots of the plate 20. The two outer rows of buttons controlthebass notes while the four inner rows control the various major, 'minor, and other chords.

Below the guide plate 19 is a row of rods 26 extending parallel with the valve supporting bottom wall 9, the rods being side by side and journalled at their ends in the intermediate walls 16 and 17 for rotational movement. Each of these rods has an arm 27 extending therefrom, as best shown in.

shown, there are twelve rods 26 and twelve valves like the valve 14 shown, these valves controlling the operations of the reeds for formulating the'various chords.

From each of the rods 26 extends a number of lever pins 29 spaced longitudinally thereon, and thepins on all of the rods are deflected to bring their outer ends into a common plane behind and parallel with the guide plates 19 as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The outer ends of the pins are thus in the paths of the key rods guided by the plate 19 and the abutment ends 25 of the key bars are 'of a width to engage with a number ofthe pins depending upon the number of notes in the chords desired to be played. The general number of pins engaged is three, althou h some of the key bars may engage with our or more of the lever pins. In Figure 4, I have shown one of the key bars adapted to engage with three of the lever pins, the aligned upper ends of the pins extending from the third, ninth and twelfth of the rods 26 being in the path of the key bar shown,'s0 that when this bar is depressed, these three rods will be rotated and the corresponding valves 14 lifted to expose the corresponding reedsto air flow for the formulation of the Corresponding chord.

Below the guide bar 20, there isanother row of rods 80 journalled at their ends in the intermediate walls 16 and 17 and each rod having an arm 31 for cooperation with the stem 32 of the corresponding valve 15,

- the lever pins 32 extending from the rods being all deflected with their outer ends of the respective bass note controlling valve by the rotated rod.

My improved arrangement materially simplifies and reduces the cost of construe tion and assembly, the key bars having each only one abutment which is at the end and which is kept in accurate alignment relative to the lever pins by the guide slots in the guide-plates- The bass key bars are shorter than the chord key bars and the bars are variously bent depending upon the lateral offset of the finger buttons relative to the guide slots in the guide plates, but otherwise the key bars are substantially alike. The bars can be accurately and readily bent when, they are installed in the instrument so that they will accurately and readily function.

Springs 3490f any suitable arrangement are provided and tend to hold the valves in closed position. The inward movement of the key bars and the rotation of the actuated rods is resisted by these springs. After release of the keys the associated valve springs will shift the key bars outwardly to their normal positions, the abutment ends 25 of the key bars, .by their engagement with the respective guide plates, determining the outward movement of the key bars so that the finger buttons 11 will be normally in accurate alignment relative to the keyboard.

Although I have shown a practical and efficient embodiment of the features of my invention, itis to be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and principles of the invention, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited except as specified in the appended claims.

I claim as follows:

1. In an instrument of the class described, a plurality of valves, a plurality of rotatable rods arranged side by side in a common plane, connection between said rods and said valves for actuating said valves upon rotation of said rods, lever pins extending from each rod, the pins of all said rods being deflected with their ends arranged in a common plane extending longitudinally of and at right angles with the plane of said rods, keybars, guides for said key bars adjacent to the ends of said lever pins, and abutments'at the ends of said key bars for engaging with a plurality of said lever pins for the rotation of the corresponding rods and operation of the associated valves.

2. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination of a plurality of valves, a plurality of rotatable rods arranged side by side in a common plane, connections extending between said rods and valves for causing operation of said valves upon rotation of said rods, key bars, a guide for the inner endsof said key bars, aplurality of lever pins extending from each of said rods,

the pins of all said rodsbeing deflected with their'end s arranged in a common plane adjacent to said guide and in the paths of the ends of said key bars whereby upon actuation of a key bar its end will engage with one of said lever pins to cause rotation of the corre- ,sponding rod and operation of the valve connected therewith.

3. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination of a plurality of valves, a plurality of rotatable rods arranged side by side in a common plane, an actuating arm on each, rod and a stem on each valve in the path of said arms whereby rotation of a rod will cause operation of the respective valve, shiftable key bars terminating each in an abutment at its inner end, a guide for said key bars a lever pin extending from each rod, said pins being deflected with their upper ends arranged in a common plane adjacent to and parallel with said guide to be in the paths of the abutments of the respective key bars, whereby upon shifting of a key bar its abutment will engage directly with one of said lever pins to rotate the corresponding shaft and cause actuation of the associated valve. v

4. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination of a plurality of valves, a plurality of rotatable rods arranged side by slde in a common plane, an actuating arm on each rod, a stem for each valve in the path of one of said arms to be operated upon rotation of the rod, key bars terminating each in an abutment at its inner end, a guide for said key bars, a plurality of lever pins extending from each rod, the pins of all valves, a plurality of rotatable rods arranged side by side in a common plane, connections flattened to form abutments, a guide wall receiving the flattened ends of said bars to guide the shifting movement thereof, and pins on said rods, said pins being all deflected with their ends terminating in a common plane which is at right angles with the direction of shift of said key bars and said ends being in the aths of the abutment ends of said bars where y upon shift of any bars their abutments will engage with one or more of said pins to cause rotation of the corresponding rods and actuation of the corresponding valves.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook County,

Illinois.

MARIO SOPRANI.

said rods being deflected with their outer ends arranged in a common plane adjacent to and parallel with said guide, the abutment for each key bar being adapted for engagement with a plurality of ad]acent lever pins, whereby when a ke bar is actuated it will swing-the associate lever pins to rotate the corresponding rods and cause actuation of the corresponding valves.

5. In an instrument of the class described, a plurality of valves, a plurality of rotatable rods arranged side by side in a common plane, a connection between said rods and said valves for actuating said valves upon rotation of said rods, lever pins extending from said rods, shiftable key bars, and guides for said bars, the pins on said rods being deflected with their ends terminating in a common plane which is at right angles to the direction of shift of said key bars and with said ends in the paths of the inner ends of said key bars wherebywhen said bars are shifted inwardly their inner ends will engage directly with corresponding pins to cause rotation of the corresponding rods and operation of the respective valves.

6. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination of a plurality of 

